Shoe cleat



May 27, 1930. G. L. PIERCEv 1,760,084

sHoE QLEAT Fileaoct. 8, 19,29

Patented May 27, 1930 l vUNI'IED I STATES v15.sralwroFFlcE GEORGE L. PIERCE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO A. G. SPALDING & EROS.,

F NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPOQBATION-.OF NEW JERSEY v snor. orma:

Application med. october s, 1929. semi no. saam.

My invention relates to detachable cleat structures for athletic or sport shoes.

The invention provides a cleat consisting essentially of two parts: a base in the form s of a screw socket permanently secured, usually by nailing, to the sole or preferably the' or other suitable material, and a threaded head which is screwed into 'the socket and retains the cleat firmly in position while in f use, but `permits easy removal. for re lacement, merely by unscrewing it. In pre erred cases, the threaded cle'atvhead is a separate metal piece which has a part or stem embedded in the molded body. Preferably, also, the'central part of the socket, within the threaded sleeve, is of moderate thickness and externally convex, so that when the cleat is screwed in, its head end engages and distorts or flattens the convex portion of the socket, thus producing resilient forcible pressure between t-he socket and' the cleat and the screw threads, which additionally prevents unscrewing until the cleat is intentionally removed. l

The accompanying drawing shows one re resentative embodiment of the invention. A ter considering this example, skilled persons will understand that variations may be made within the limits defined by the claim.

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan of a sport shoe, having a suitable plurality of the cleat structures applied to the sole and heel thereof.

Fig. 2 is a section at 2-2, Fig. 1, showing one of the cleats in side elevation and another in vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the socket.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the cleat proper, removed from the socket.

The socket, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is of metal, comprising a cylindrical or sleeve portion 1 having an lnternal screw-thread 2 extending from a flange 3,-which has a suitable plurality of perforations 4 for insertion of fastening devices. Preferably, the central or bottom portion 5 of the socket, 'at the inward end of sleeve 1, is of moderate thickness and of dished or convex form, the convexity 'being outward, or toward the open end of the sleeve. Any suitable number of the sockets are secured to thev shoe sole in any suitable way, conveniently by nailing; and as shown in Fig. 1, the fastemng nails or brads 6 may be driven only through the outsole 7 and clinched thereon sov that they do not pass through to the insole or lining.

The cleat proper, shown separately in Fig. 4, usually includes an outer or spike portion 8 and an upper or head portion 9 of smaller i diameter than the'upper end of the spike portion, and externally threaded as at 10, this threaded head being engagable in the threaded socket sleeve. While the cleat proper may in some cases be in a single piece and either of a moldable plastic or of metal, in many cases it is preferred to make it in two pieces. Thus, as specifically shown, the part 8 referred to above as the spike portion may be separate from the head portion 9. In such cases, the spike portion 8 is conveniently referred to as the cleat body, and may be of any suitable moldable plastic material such as fibre, vulcanite, hard rubber, etc. The head portion will then be of metal, including the threaded portion 10 to engage in the socket sleeve, and a stem 1l about which the body 8 is molded. The metal head may also include a flange l2 overlying the inward end of the molded body and engaging against the outer end of the socket sleeve l; otherwise this liange may be omitted and the molded material may then engage directly with the outer end of the socket sleeve, when the cleat is screwed into position.

When the cleat proper is screwed into the socket, as shown 'in Fig. 2, t-he inner end of the head 9 engages the convex central portion 5 of the socket and depresses or iattens that portion until the flange 12 is in engagement with the outer end of the socket sleeve. The deformed central portion of the socket then exerts resilient pressure and friction upon the inner end of the cleat head and also produces active resilient engagement of the cleat threads with those of the socket, so that inadvertent unscrewing of the cleat while in use is practically impossible, but it may easily i 2 e 1,7eo,os4

be unscrewed when desired, as for replacement when dama ed or worn.

The external s ape of the cleat proper or of its molded ortion 8 may vari. The gen- 5 erally tapere or conical form s yown is preferredl in many cases. l

I claim: A detachable cleat structure for athletic or sport shoes, com rising` a socket and 'a cleat lo proper, the soc et having an internally threaded sleeve projecting from a flange r- `forated for insertion of attachment devlce and the cleat including a body and a hea portion externally screw-threaded to engage 15 in the sleeve thread, the socket. at the inner end ofthe sleeve beingofmoderate thickness and externally convex, this portion bel ing deformed by insertion of the cleat head and thereupon exerting resilient pressure on -20 the head and screw-threads, preventing inadvertent unscrewing.

In testimony whereof I aix mly si ature.

` GEORGE L. IElCE. 

